Hard Times Come Again No More
by MaddieMonkey
Summary: AU Set in the muggle world right after World War II. Harry comes home from war, with conflicting thoughts because he survived, when so many other good men didn't.


**A/N: Um. Hi. Sooooo. This is an AU story, set in the muggle world, during World War II... So yeah. Feel free to follow, favorite, and subscribe if you like it! And if you hate it... well... Sorry, dear.**

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Ginny Weasley frowned deeply and adjusted the collar of Harry's uniform, then began fidgeting with the buttons. She knew it was foolish and selfish, but she wanted him home, not off at war. He gently took her hands and kissed her softly. "Promise me you'll be safe?" Eighteen year old Ginny, pled softly and cupped his cheek after he pulled away. The train's whistle blew loudly, signaling the time to leave.

"I love you," he said it like a promise and kissed her again before boarding the train.

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_**Two Years Later:**_

Ginny received word that the troops were coming home, the war was over. The then twenty year old woman stood at the train station, one face in a crowd larger than she had ever seen. After a while of waiting, she began reapplying her makeup, fixing her hair, trying to look just as good as she had when he left. When the train pulled into the station, she snapped shut her compact and tried to work her way towards the front of the crowd, calling his name. Her heart pounded in her chest when she saw that familiar shaggy jet black hair in throng of soldiers as he stepped off the train. Ginny pushed forward and ran towards him, slipping between other soldiers before throwing her herself in his arms, legs wrapped around his waist and arms around his neck.

Harry kissed her with a passion, though his eyes looked a little darkened. "Did ya miss me sweetheart?"

She nodded, crashing her lips back into his. "More than you will ever know, Harry," she murmured against his lips.

He laughed and took his bag, walking out with her. "Let me guess, Molly's got a huge party waiting for me?" He guessed.

Ginny entwined their fingers handing him the keys to the small car that he owned, but she had been driving for the past two years. "I'm not supposed to say anything, but you probably already know." She laid her head on his shoulder as they walked to the car.

Harry nodded and put his bag in the trunk, sitting in the passenger seat. "You drive, doc gave me something so I can't." He looked out the window, frowning. "It was hell Gin, we lost half the boys, stormed one of the camps too..."

She froze for a moment before inserting and turning the key. The engines purr sent her out of her thoughts. "I know," she said, although she didn't. She had no idea how bad it must have been for Harry, and the rest of the men. "It's over now, right?" she said, reassuringly.

He nodded and sighed. "So they say, what happens with the Reds though, and the Italians." He rubbed his forehead. "I'm an orphan from London, now I'm some war hero all I did was shoot people under the same circumstances as me, Krauts yeah, but they were young..."

She shook his head. "You did what you had to do, Harry. You're not just a war hero, you're my hero, and you're back. That's all that matters, babe."

He sighed and nodded, looking at the damages. "How bad were the blitzes?" He asked, noticing some old buildings were gone.

She shrugged. "It doesn't matter, it's over. But I'll warn you, we no longer have an apartment. I've lived with mum since the attack. I'm fine, though. It was a while ago. I sent a letter about it to you, but that was after you were MIA, you probably never got it."

"I was in a POW camp." Harry heard her gasp. "Neville, Dean, Seamus, I was the only survivor Gin..." He didn't talk until the car stopped at the house in Burrows Lane. "I don't think I can face them..." He had a fight with Ron over dodging the draft.

She let the information sink in for a moment. "Harry, go see Ron. He's literally not stopped crying since you left. He feels awful." She took out the key. "And Mum and Hermione have worried themselves sick about you, especially after... the war killed.." she choked back her tears, "Fred."

He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as they walked into the house. "Hey everyone..." He nodded to them, a forced smile on his face as he hugged Hermione, Molly, George, Bill, Charlie, Percy the prat, and then Ron. "I've missed you mate."

Ginny, and everyone else in the room stared awkwardly back, waiting tensely to see Ron's reaction. Then, Ron hugged him, in a rather manly form, and muttered in his ear. "I'm glad you didn't die, mate. Scared the bloody hell outta me, you did."

Harry chuckled a little. "Good thing you didn't enlist, I didn't fancy carrying you when you piss your pants." He teased, grabbing him into a tight hug. "It's good to be home," He turned to Molly. "I just heard about..." He sighed. "I was in a POW camp, near Auschwitz..."

Molly nodded, mutely, as Ginny and Hermione conferenced about how difficult their boyfriends were. Molly attacked Harry with another tight hug, until Arthur peeled her away to give Harry a firm, understanding handshake, his eyes twinkling slightly with pride.

Harry understood the pride, he enlisted after listening to Arthur's stories of the Great War. "Twenty good men died, and now I'm back here, they're talking about pensions and medals of honour..." He frowned. "I shouldn't be bothering you with this crap."

"Harry, twenty great men died. And they did /not/ die in vain. And we are so proud of you. Harry, you practically saved the country." Aurthur looked at him seriously. "You're practically my son, Harry. No one wanted you to return more than this family around you."

"I was in a camp, Arthur, serving those damn bastards..." Harry gritted out. "I saw good men lose their lives because piss poor artists hated a minority." He sighed. "Poor Smith hasn't said a word since he came back, not to mention Suzy Bones lost her boyfriend..."

"And I can't even fathom how thankful I am that you're back, and Molly and I didn't lose a son. Ginny didn't lose a boyfriend. Ron and Hermione didn't lose a best friend. There is nothing you can do about those who lost their lives, except honoring them by living out the rest of your own."

He said, shaking his head, to show the end of the discussion.

Harry nodded and walked up to the attic, he sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands, hearing the door open. "Neville, he was my friend, Ginny...he was a damn good guy and they executed him." He whispered, tears streaming down. "For what? His fucking body wasn't found..."

Ginny wiped his tear off his face. "Harry, stop it," she said, firmly. "I know this is hard. Neville was so brave. But you have to live on, living like this will never get us anywhere." She curled into his side. "Will some welcome home snogging make you feel any better?" she asked, smiling slightly at the thought.

Harry chuckled a little and kissed her forehead. "Babe, I just need sometime to vent, I was stuck with Scrimgeour as a commanding officer." He stroked her hair and lay down. "I kept thinking about you, about getting married and having a family, maybe moving to the suburbs and just relaxing."

She froze for a moment as he talked about marriage and kids. She then nodded. "I'm so glad you're home. All that can eventually happen now."

He sighed. "Still scared about the marriage?" He asked softly. "Look Gin, I'm not saying we'll be married tomorrow, they're talking about my decommission..."

"I'm not scared about the marriage. Not really. I was just scared that it would never happen." She twirled the small ring on her finger, that Harry had bought for her when they were 18, before he went to war.

He looked at her. "You were scared?" He smirked. "Babe all I thought about was you and I having a family." He opened his bag, handing her the picture she took for him. "Thanks for that." He smiled, it was a picture of the two of them kissing madly before he had left.

She blushed slightly and shoved the picture back to him, laughing slightly. "I love you, Harry."

He smiled. "I love you too." He kissed her softly. "That picture kept me going in some hard times."

She shook her head. "Glad I could help, Harry," she whispered into his neck.

He chuckled. "More than helped..." He looked into her eyes. "The camps babe, the ones they sent Jews to, fucking terrible..."

She laughed slightly. "Oh, be nice, Harry," she whispered, giggling, despite her words.

"I am." He smiled, though it faded. "There were bodies everywhere, we just stopped a gassing, all of em were babies, littlest must've been a month old..."

She gulped. "Harry, honestly I don't need anymore nightmares."

He sighed. "Sorry babe." He lay back down, he had no one to vent to, they were right...you didn't come back the same way you left.

She laid her head back down on his chest. "It's gonna be alright, Harry. I promise."

He just nodded. "Yeah. Someday it will, Gin."

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**A/N: So yeah. Tell me, if you love it, or hate it. I just want to note that the idea for a AU muggle world, during World War II was not my idea. I think I saw it in a roleplay or fanfic on tumblr a while back, but I made it my own. :) Thanks for reading! (And if you review there will be cookies!)**


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